Caged
by Monster-House-Fan92
Summary: After being mistaken for a wild animal while in his Werehog form, Sonic is sent to a zoo, wounded and confused. Chip tags along to keep him company while he is caged. Will Sonic ever be free again? Bad summary, I know. Please R and R! Thanks!
1. Prologue

**A/N: Well, I haven't written a Sonic fanfiction in a while, so here I go, I guess.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy and I will try to update as soon as I can. ^^**

Caged

Prologue

_Sirens…_

_Flashing lights…_

_A gunshot…_

_Searing pain in his shoulder…_

_Blood…_

_A coppery taste in his mouth…_

_Frightened people…_

Images flashed one by one in his head as he lay motionless on the sidewalk; pain often pulsing from his wound and through his battered body. The discomfort caused him to pant heavily and claw at the ground, earning gasps and whispers from the people that surrounded him. He slowly opened one of his eyes and took in the sight of the crowd… and of the policeman who stared back at him in horror; his gun trembling with the shock of what he had done.

Voices murmured around him.

"What is that thing?" one asked.

"A monster?" another questioned.

"No, it looks more like a wolf…" a third said.

'_Monster…? Is that what I am…?'_

Suddenly, he felt something tug at his ear. He flicked it back and caught the whisper of a familiar voice.

"Sonic! Please get up!"

It was that little fairy-thing, Chip; he sounded really scared. Sonic felt him push deeper into his fur, he was probably trying to hide from the prying eyes of the crowd. Gritting his teeth to suppress the whine building in his throat; Sonic slowly lifted himself up onto his hands and knees. Opening his eyes, he lifted his head and looked up at the sky. It was clear and filled with stars, along with a bright full moon.

A chill ran through him.

'_No wonder why they think I'm a monster…'_ he thought.

He knew he wasn't himself tonight.

Sonic looked to the policeman, who had backed up quite a bit; his gun trained on the werehog's heart. He whimpered and flattened his ears; clutching the bullet wound in his shoulder in an attempt to slow the bleeding.

The policeman's finger tightened on the trigger and the werehog closed his eyes, waiting for the final shot.

"Wait." A new voice rang out, causing both werehog and human to jump.

Sonic watched as a second policeman stepped up to his partner and pulled the gun out of his hand.

"Don't you think you've done enough damage for one night?" He scolded.

"W-what do you _expect _me to do? Let it live?" the other stammered, clearly taken back by the earlier comment.

Shaking his head, the second policeman sighed and walked to their car. There was a series of clicks and snaps; Chip shuddered at the sounds.

"What's he doing, Sonic?" he asked.

There was no answer; the werehog's full attention had been directed to the police car.

The second policeman returned moments later with a gun of his own: a tranquilizer gun. Before he took aim, he whispered something in his partner's ear. Sonic strained to hear what he was saying, pricking his horn-shaped ears forward.

He could only pick up a few words from the conversation.

"…put him down for now…bring him…zoo…take a look…"

At the word 'zoo', Sonic snarled and shook his shaggy fur. He was no mere animal! He was the one and only true blue hero! At least he was on the inside at the moment…

Ignoring the painful throbbing in his shoulder, he lowered himself onto all fours and bared his teeth. The crowd went into a frenzy, screaming as they ran in all different directions. Sonic narrowed his eyes, searching for an open spot to escape through. Chip poked his head out of his friend's fur and looked about; suddenly tugging on his ear and pointing excitedly.

"Sonic! Over there, quick!"

Sonic looked in the direction Chip had tugged his ear and dashed. He had just about reached a small park when there was a gunshot and he felt a stinging sensation in his side. Sonic skidded to a stop and looked at the damage: there was a small dart sticking out of his messy fur. Chip flew out of his hiding spot and fluttered beside him; trying his best to pull the dart out.

"I can't get it out! It's gone in too deep!"

Sonic growled in annoyance and started to move forward again. The effects of the dart were beginning to take hold; he found himself getting tired and his vision was beginning to grow dim.

There was a sound behind him, he pricked his ears and listened.

"I think he went this way."

"Well, he couldn't have gone that far."

It was the policemen. And they weren't that far behind.

Panting from the effort of trying to stay awake, the werehog trudged forward; Chip followed closely. After taking a couple more steps, he found that the dart's effects were only moments away from claiming him. With a whine, Sonic collapsed onto his side; his eyes only half open now. Chip hovered about him franticly.

"Sonic! Are you ok? Say something!"

The werehog blinked up at him and sighed, closing his eyes. Chip was about to try and wake him up, but he was stopped by the sound of the policemen's approaching footsteps. He dove down and hid himself in Sonic's fur again, just as the policemen appeared.

"See? Told you he didn't go too far." The second said.

"Fine, you were right. Now let's get him to the zoo before he wakes."

**I apologize if my writing's a little rusty.**

**Please R and R! Thanks! =)**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I reedited this chapter because I felt there was a lot missing. ^^; Sorry!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 1

Chip had never been so scared in his entire life.

He had lost his memory, he had no idea what was going on, and worse yet: his only friend was injured and out cold in the back of this 'police car'! He looked down at Sonic with worried eyes. The werehog's wound was still bleeding pretty badly and the constant rocking of the car didn't seem to be making him comfortable.

Chip hovered above Sonic's shoulder and pressed both of his tiny paws over the bullet wound, hoping to at least slow the bleeding. He heard a noise up front and pricked up his ears; the policemen were whispering back and forth.

"You'd better hope that bullet you fired didn't hit a major artery. 'Cause if that beast bleeds out and the chief gets word that you shot an animal without a command…you'll be leaving the force for sure." The second was saying.

'_Bleeds out?_' Chip gulped and pressed down harder.

The first one sighed through his teeth.

"I wasn't aiming for it! I only wanted to scare it. Plus you saw the blood dripping from its mouth, that thing attacked someone!"

Chip raised an eyebrow at this.

'_That doesn't sound like the Sonic I know._'

The second took one hand off the wheel and lightly punched the other's shoulder, causing him to curse under his breath.

"Uh huh, sure you did. Well, you'd better check up on him, I have to keep my eyes on the road."

"Fine."

Chip dove out of the way and hid behind the driver's seat; just as the first policeman reached back, pushed the metal grate that separated them away, and laid a hand on Sonic's side. The little fairy held his breath.

"Well?" the second asked.

"He's breathing, so that's a good sign." The first answered, pulling his hand away and closing the grate.

Chip sighed with relief. He fluttered back to his spot and replaced his paws over the wound.

"How much longer until we get there?"

"About 20 minutes or so."

Chip closed his eyes and concentrated on pressing down. He could last 20 more minutes if he tried hard enough…

The sound of squealing tires jolted Chip out of his chocolate eating dream. He found himself lying on Sonic's shoulder, his paws still over the wound. He lifted his head and saw the policemen climbing out of the front. Acting fast, Chip made himself hidden in Sonic's head spikes. Shivering with fright, he listened to the human's voices just outside the car.

"Go and get the head veterinarian, I'll stay here." It was the second one.

The first grumbled something and the sound of his footsteps faded away.

Chip tugged at Sonic's ear.

"Sonic! Please, wake up!" he whispered urgently.

There was no response.

He tugged again and the outcome was still the same. Panicking, Chip peeked out the window and saw the first policeman returning with a small group of people dressed in white coats. With a small startled cry, he hid himself in Sonic's fur again.

Chip lifted an ear and listened to the hushed voices outside.

"He's in the back. The rookie over here shot at him." The second policeman was saying.

"I didn't mean to!" the first one cried.

"How bad is it?" a new voice asked. Chip guessed this was the head veterinarian.

"Don't know. It looks pretty deep to me."

There was a sigh.

"Alright, let's get him inside so we can get a better look."

The door opened and Chip felt them lift Sonic up; he peeked out of the messy fur and saw them lay him down on a padded cart. The cart lurched forward as they wheeled the werehog away from the police car and Chip closed his eyes in fear. The sound of doors swinging open rang in his ears and a strange scent in the air stung at his nose.

He held on tight as they were lifted again and the human's voices became urgent.

"The wound's deep alright, I think the bullet's still in there."

"Gather the surgical tools, if its still inside we have to get it out. He's lost a decent amount of blood." The head veterinarian said.

Their footsteps pounded away and Chip used this opportunity to fly out and find another spot to hide in: behind a lone trashcan in the corner of the room.

From there, he watched the humans attach wires to the werehog's body; slow beeping sounds coming from somewhere near him. The lights became brighter over him and one of the humans put a cone with a tube attached over Sonic's snout. Chip shuddered and looked away.

'_Please, oh please be ok…_'

**There, I think this is a lot better than the last version I wrote. ^^ The other version will be used for chapter 2, but I'll be adding much more to it so it'll be longer for you guys.**

**Please R and R! Thanks! =)**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: This chapter is basically the first version of chapter 1, but I've tweaked it a bit. ^^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 2

It was dark…very dark…

And the air around him smelled of disinfectant and hay…

'_Where am I?'_

Sonic found that his body was numb and he couldn't move very well; he guessed that the tranquilizer dart's medicine hadn't worn off all the way yet. Concentrating on what strength he had, he slowly opened his eyes halfway; only to come face to face with a very relieved and happy Chip.

"Sonic? Oh, thank goodness you're awake! I thought you were a goner!"

Sonic shook his head to clear it and then looked around. He was lying on his side on a bed of soft hay inside a small, dim room with a couple of skylights in the ceiling; allowing warm sunrays to shine down on them. He attempted to push himself up into a sitting position, but something tightened around his shoulder and forced him to lie still.

Looking down at himself he found that the bullet wound had been bandaged… he also found that he was still in his werehog form.

His heart sank.

'_That's impossible! It's daytime, I should be back to normal by now!'_

Sonic pressed his ears back and covered his eyes with one of his large paws. Chip zipped down and lifted it, peering at his friend's sad eyes.

"Sonic? Are you ok?" he asked.

The werehog whined.

"Where are we?" he asked in his hoarse, growling voice. But he already knew the answer.

"Don't you remember what those humans said? They brought us to a place called a 'zoo'."

Sonic growled and turned onto his other side, Chip followed. He landed beside him and leaned against his side.

"Did you see what they did to me?" Sonic asked, staring into the shadowed corners of the room.

Chip nodded.

"The humans here called themselves, 'veterinarians'. They cleaned your wound, removed the bullet, and bandaged it. They also took blood, ran a few tests, and checked to see if you were healthy."

Sonic turned his head to look at him; Chip was staring at him with a puzzled expression.

"Do you know what any of this means?"

The werehog nodded sadly, knowing all too well what it meant.

"They're seeing if I'm good enough for display." He mumbled.

Chip sat up straight.

"Well of course you're good enough! You're Sonic the hedgehog." He protested.

"Not now!" Sonic snapped, baring his sharp fangs, "Right now I look like some sort of beast to them!"

Chip flinched at the anger in his voice, burying his face in the dense fur behind him. Sonic sighed.

'_Great, now I really _am_ a monster…'_

"I'm sorry, Chip. It's just I'm not too keen on being caged." He apologized.

He felt the fairy's tiny paws run over his fur, a gesture which Sonic found oddly comforting.

"It's ok." He pulled a chocolate bar from under his collar. "Want some chocolate, Sonic?"

The werehog smiled and shook his head.

"Not now, Chip. I'd like to sleep for a while; I'm still pretty tired from that run last night."

As if to prove his point, he opened his mouth wide and yawned before laying his head on his big paws. Chip stretched and cuddled against him.

"Yeah…a little nap would be nice…" he whispered.

Warmed by the swaying shafts of sunlight, the two friends gave themselves up to the vast realm of dreams.

**Sorry if it's a bit short, I don't like giving too much away.**

Please R and R! And hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon! ^^


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! =) Here's chapter 3 for you all! ^^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 3

_He was running… running wild and free._

_Nothing but the stars above and the long, cool grass below; everything was bathed in the silver-blue glow_ _of the full moon. He breathed in the night air and sighed deeply; closing his eyes halfway in content as the wind ruffled his unruly fur. Everything was perfect…_

_Then it suddenly changed…_

_The sky became a dark red and black clouds obscured the moon. The ground beneathe his feet shook and broke apart; a shadowy beast with glowing eyes surfaced with a roar. The fissure seemed to chase him as he ran away as fast as he could… but he wasn't fast enough._

_The ground opened wide under him and he was thrown into a never ending pit of darkness…_

Sonic awoke with a jolt, panting heavily to calm himself from the intensity of his dream. His dull green eyes were wide with fright as he searched the room; aided by the glow of moonlight from the skylights.

'_What was that thing?_'

Shivering from the mere memory of the beast's eyes, he felt Chip stir at his movement; his little paws pressing against his side.

"Sonic…what's wrong? Are you cold?" his sleepy voice asked.

Sonic shook his head to rid himself of the frightening images and took a shuddering breath. He didn't want to scare his friend.

"No, I'm fine… just had a really weird dream." He murmured.

There was a yawn.

"Oh… was it a bad one?"

"Not that bad…" he lied.

Sonic took another look around the room and noticed something he hadn't seen before. There was a big window in one of the walls and some one was standing at it looking in. The werehog bared his teeth and growled low. Chip snapped fully awake.

"What's going on?"

Sonic ignored him and pushed himself up onto all fours; shaking his fur. The person in the window seemed unaffected, they seemed to study him, scribble something down on a clipboard, and then disappeared from view. Suddenly, there was a click and a door next to the window opened a bit; just enough for a bowl of food and water to be pushed in. Then it slammed shut and the person returned to the window; watching almost anxiously.

Sonic regarded him or her carefully and then slowly approached the bowls; Chip following in his shadow. The werehog sniffed at the water and cautiously lapped at it. When he had drunk his fill, Sonic moved on to inspect the food.

It was chunks of raw meat, not one of his favorites.

'_They must think I eat this stuff because of my teeth._' He thought, running his tongue over his fangs.

But, food was food. And he couldn't remember the last time he had eaten.

Plus, it might even help him regain his strength and heal faster.

Sitting back on his haunches, Sonic carefully picked up a piece using his claws and gingerly popped it into his mouth. He chewed on it slowly, almost gagging when the blood seeped out over his tongue. After a throwing a glance at the window, Sonic swallowed hard; trying hard not to throw up.

This process repeated itself until only a few chunks were left. The person in the window seemed to sigh with relief and write something down on their clipboard again before leaving.

Sonic took this opportunity to pick up the water bowl and gulp down the rest of it; swishing it around in his mouth to get rid of the taste of meat.

"What do you think that was all about?" Chip asked, peering through the window.

Sonic wiped the blood off his mouth and shrugged.

"I don't know. They were probably seeing if I would eat or not."

"But you did, so that should satisfy them."

"Yeah, I hope so. That stuff's really gross." The werehog growled, making a gagging sound.

He lumbered back to the bed of hay and sat down. Chip flew over and landed on top of his head; reaching under his collar for a chocolate bar. He broke it in half and tried to offer it to Sonic again.

"Want some chocolate now?" he asked.

Sonic chuckled and took it in his claws.

"Thanks Chip. Hopefully it can get rid of this awful taste in my mouth."

Chip smiled, happy with the outcome and settled down in his friend's fur as they happily munched on their sweet snacks.

**There, another one done. =) The next one might take a little longer; I'm running out of ideas. ^^;**

**Please R and R! Thanks! =)**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying this! =) Sorry this chapter took a while. ^^;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 4

"Oh, look!" Chip exclaimed, pointing upwards, "That cloud looks like a bird."

Sonic squinted through the sunlight, pointing a claw at another cloud.

"See that one? That one looks like a shark."

Chip searched the small space of sky through the windows and smiled as a new cloud rolled in.

"Look! There's a new cloud. It kind of reminds me of you, Sonic."

The werehog stared at the cloud. It was in the shape of a four legged beast whose head was raised high. It didn't take him long to figure out the name: it was a wolf.

Sonic sighed and rolled over onto his side, leaving Chip to his cloud gazing. They had been doing this for hours. Oh, what he wouldn't give for a nice long run.

"Sonic?" Chip must've noticed that he had moved.

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to do something else?"

Sonic flicked pieces of hay with his claws.

"Like what? You can't do much of anything when you're caged." He mumbled.

"We could play hide and seek." Chip suggested.

Sonic rolled his eyes.

"That's a good idea. The only problem is there's no place to hide."

Chip sighed.

"How about I spy?"

The werehog snorted and got up onto all fours; walking back and forth. He really needed to burn off all the energy that had been building up in his legs. Chip watched puzzled.

"What are you doing?"

Sonic growled.

'_Now I know why zoo animals pace._'

"Pacing. I'm trying to keep myself busy." He answered.

"Oh."

Around his third time back, the door to the room opened and a man in a white outfit, carrying a small bottle and a bag of cotton balls walked in; his sudden appearance stopping Sonic right in his tracks. Chip retreated to the shadowed corners of the room, he recognized the newcomer.

'_That's the head vet._'

The werehog lowered himself to the ground and snarled, showing his teeth as he backed away.

The man was unaffected. He only smiled and crouched down, set the bottle and bag aside and held his hand out.

"Hey there, fella. Did I startle you?" he spoke in a soft voice.

Sonic studied him carefully and then approached slowly.

The man gently laid his hand on top of the werehog's head, rubbing the thick fur. Sonic found that he liked the attention and pushed himself against the hand as the man scratched behind his ears.

"There, see? I'm not going to hurt you; I'm just going to see how well your wound's healing." He assured.

After a few more scratches, the vet pulled a small pair of scissors out of his pocket and cut the bandages away from Sonic's shoulder. He pulled them away and felt around the wound carefully; mumbling softly to himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his patient wince.

"Still hurts a bit, huh? It will for a little while, but it's healing alright."

The head vet unscrewed the top of the bottle and the smell of alcohol became very strong. He pulled a couple of cotton balls out and held them at the bottle's opening as he tipped it a bit.

"This might sting a little bit." He warned.

He daubed the wet cotton ball wad over the bullet wound and Sonic growled in response to the pain. Once the wad was stained red, the vet removed it and reached into his coat pocket for the new bandages; proceeding to wrap them around the werehog's shoulder.

"There, all set." He said when he was done.

He patted Sonic's head, collected his things and stood up to leave.

"I'll be back in a few minutes to feed you."

And with that he left. Sonic sat down and examined the vet's work, just as Chip flew over.

"Well that's good news, at least you're healing."

Sonic nodded.

"Yeah, but I still want to know why I'm still like this even though the sun's out."

Chip shrugged.

"Maybe it's because you're hurt."

Sonic rubbed at his bandages.

"Maybe."

There was a click and Chip hid behind him as the vet returned with two bowls. He set them on the floor, turned and left. Sonic waited till he was out of range and then walked up to the bowls.

Water and chunks of meat, just like the last time.

Sonic picked up a piece with his claws and gagged.

'_Well, I just hope I heal fast enough so I can get out of here and hopefully never have to eat raw meat again._'

**Chapter five is in the works so hopefully you guys won't have to wait too long. ^^**

**Please R and R! Thanks! =)**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Just a heads up, there are only a few more chapters to this. But I'll be writing more Werehog fanfics in the future! ^^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 5

Day slowly faded into night…

Although he knew he should have been asleep, Sonic was wide awake; lying on his side in the nest of hay. Chip was cuddled against him, sleeping soundly. The werehog sighed and stared up at the stars through the skylights; as if searching for the answer to why he was so restless.

'_Must be a full moon tonight._' He figured.

He laid his head on his paws, whimpering softly. For the first time in his life, he felt an intense loneliness was burning inside him. Sure, he had Chip with him; but Sonic missed his friends. Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, hell he even missed Amy. His whimpering turned into a whine and he covered his eyes with a large paw as tears began to fall.

"Sonic?" Chip mumbled.

"Y-yeah…?" he answered, wiping his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I'm sorry if I woke you, Chip…"

He felt the little fairy stretch and heard him yawn.

"It's ok, I was getting hungry anyway." He said, fluttering up to sit on the werehog's head.

Sonic forced a small chuckle, trying to lighten his mood. But Chip wasn't fooled by this.

"Something's wrong, huh?" he asked again.

"Yeah…" he took a shuddering breath, "I miss them…I miss them _so_ much…"

Chip nodded in understanding and rubbed his friend's fur.

"I'm sure they miss you too, Sonic. They're probably worried about you."

The tears returned and he shivered as he tried to hold them back; whimpering again.

"Sonic?" Chip's voice was full of concern.

His whimpering grew louder and he felt a sudden pressure build in his broad chest; like his heart was going to burst. Sonic scrambled to sit upright, clutching at his chest; knocking Chip to the ground. He stared at his friend in horror, certain that his sadness was killing him.

"Sonic!"

The werehog peered at him through half lidded eyes; he felt the pressure grow and expand. Instinct kicked in, he tilted his head back and _howled _as tears streaked down his muzzle.

Chip could only stare at him in silent awe. He had heard Sonic howl before, but it usually sounded intimidating and angry. This one was very different, it sounded sad and mournful. And he couldn't help but think that Sonic was calling for his friends.

He got up and slowly walked up to him, wrapping his tiny arms around one of the werehog's muscular arms; burying his face in the long fur.

"Please…don't cry…" he murmured, his voice muffled, "You'll make me cry…"

The howl slowly died away and Chip felt Sonic place his paw over him, pulling him closer.

"I-I can't h-help it…" The werehog choked out.

**Bit of a sad chapter for you all. I'll admit that I got a little teary eyed while writing it. Plus listening to Linkin Park's "Shadow of the Day" really helped me write it. **

**Sorry if it's short ^^ I didn't really have any big ideas for this one. Chapter six might have a little more.**

**Please R and R and I'll see if I can update a bit faster. ^^ As long as I don't get writer's block. **


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: I know a couple of people have reviewed wondering about Sonic's friends. Well, I'm tying them in here! ^^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 6

The sound of a door unlocking woke Sonic up the next morning. He opened his eyes halfway and yawned, stretching out on the hay bed. Chip was no one to be seen and it was barely even dawn yet.

"'Morning, big guy." the head vet's voice greeted.

Blinking the sleep away, Sonic stared up at him, catching sight of a new face. It was another young man dressed in an outfit similar to the head vet's. Startled by the newcomer, Sonic got on all fours and growled; his fur bristling.

The head vet crouched down like before and held his hand out.

"It's alright, fella. This is my assistant, he won't hurt you."

Sonic walked up and pressed his head against the outstretched hand, warily eyeing the assistant; who was a bit shaken by the display of aggression.

"Maybe we should check him later; he doesn't seem too happy."

The head vet chuckled as he scratched behind the werehog's ears.

"He's fine, he just doesn't know you. Put your hand out and let him sniff you."

The assistant gulped and knelt down, holding a shaking hand out. Sonic resisted the urge to roll his eyes and moved to press against his hand. The shaking stopped and was replaced by fingers that gently massaged through the thick fur.

"H-hi…" he stuttered.

The head vet was smiling.

"See? He's not going to do anything to you, Miles."

'_Miles?_' Sonic was painfully reminded of his old buddy Tails. He whined and lowered his head.

Miles pulled his hand back.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"I'm not sure; we should probably get the examination done and leave him alone."

With that said the vet reached over and felt around the werehog's neck; looking at his watch as kept his hand in place. After a few moments he removed his hand and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small flashlight; which he shone into Sonic's eyes.

The vet gently pressed on the bandages at his shoulder and smiled when he saw it didn't seem to hurt the werehog as much as it had before.

"Just about done healing, huh? That's good news; you'll be in perfect condition for tomorrow's display."

Sonic's ears drooped at the word 'display'.

"Now, let's see those fangs of yours." The vet said with a chuckle.

He huffed and opened his jaws wide, allowing the vet to shine his flashlight inside.

While the vet finished up his examination, his assistant decided to break the silence with a little conversation.

"Have you heard yet?"

"Heard what?"

"That the world famous hero, Sonic the hedgehog's gone missing."

The vet halted in checking the werehog's claws and turned to look at his assistant; shock etched in his face.

"No."

Miles nodded.

"Yeah, he's been missing for a few days now. His friends filed a missing person's report yesterday. They said that he had gone out for a run and he just never came back."

Sonic ground his claws against the tiles, but the two didn't seem to notice.

"That's awful. Have the police found any clues yet?"

Miles shook his head sadly.

"Nope, they're just about ready to give up. They haven't found a body or anything yet."

Sonic whimpered and flopped down onto his side; causing the assistant to panic.

"Is he sick?" he asked.

"No, he's as healthy as a horse. He's probably just tired, we should leave him be for now."

"Alright," Miles reached over to give the werehog a few more scratches behind the ears, "see you tomorrow, big guy."

Sonic only sighed and closed his eyes, listening to their leaving footsteps; the sound of the door closing signaled that they were gone.

The silence was broken by fluttering wings; Chip had come out of hiding.

"I told you that your friends are worried about you." He said, landing in front of him.

Sonic opened one eye and looked at him.

"Yeah…but now they think I'm _dead_… and I'm going on display tomorrow…"

"Let's just face it, Chip… I'm never going to be free again…" he added with a snarl.

**Seems like Sonic's starting to lose hope, poor guy. :(**

**I know I said there'd be a few more chapters, but I've narrowed it down to two now. This chapter was originally supposed to be two separate ones, but I merged them together to save time.**

**Chapter 7's a work in progress; I should have it up soon! ^^**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm sorry this took so long! I've been away from home and I've been busy getting ready for school. ^^;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 7

Chip sat on the hay bed, silently gnawing on a chocolate bar as he watched Sonic pace back and forth in front of him. He had been doing this for a good part of the day; starting a little after the head vet and his assistant left. The werehog was grumbling to himself, whining or growling every so often.

After a few more moments of watching his movements, Chip decided to speak up.

"Sonic?"

At the sound of his name, he stopped and stared at the little creature with dull eyes. Chip flinched at the look and held the half eaten chocolate bar out, a sincere smile on his face.

"Want some?" he asked.

Sonic shook his head and continued to pace, a low whimper rising in his throat.

The smile faded and Chip sighed, looking at the untouched food bowls near the door. Sonic hadn't eaten anything all day; he wouldn't even accept chocolate! A growl caught his attention and he watched Sonic lumber up to the bowls; Chip held his breath, hoping for the best.

Sonic merely pushed the food aside and lowered his head to lap at the water. Chip clenched his paws and flew up to him.

"Soniiic, c'mon! You gotta eat something!"

The werehog lifted his head, water dripping from his muzzle as he stared at his friend. He took a deep breath and then blew Chip away. After watching him tumble away, Sonic continued to drink.

Chip fell to the tiled floor with a 'thud', being stunned for a few seconds. He shook his head and unsteadily got to his feet; taking teetering steps as he walked back. Once he fully regained his senses, Chip took flight and hovered above Sonic's head; tugging hard on one of his ears.

Sonic yelped and rubbed at it, glaring daggers at Chip.

"Serves you right." Chip said, crossing his arms.

The werehog snarled and leapt at him, knocking him down and pining the little creature to the ground with a large paw. He bared his teeth and growled angrily.

Chip struggled to free himself, trying to stay away from the sharp fangs as best as he could.

"Sonic, stop!" he begged.

This was enough to halt the beast. His eyes seemed to clear and he lifted his paw up to let Chip go; who zipped off out of reach. Sonic sat up and stared at his friend, shaking at the thought of what he had just done.

"Chip?" he asked hoarsely.

Chip slowly flew down, cautiously approaching him; readying himself to flee if it happened again.

"Yeah?"

"I'm so sorry, Chip. I didn't mean to-"

"It's ok. I shouldn't have pulled on your ear, so it's my fault."

"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have let my anger get the best of me…"

Chip rubbed at the ear he pulled on, hoping to comfort his friend.

"I was just upset because you weren't eating. You have to eat to keep up your strength you know."

"I know." The werehog grumbled.

"Plus, you don't want to be sick when your friends find you."

Sonic's fur bristled at this.

Without another word, Chip flew off and pushed the meat filled bowl up to Sonic. He picked a piece up, gagging as the juices seeped over his tiny paws and held it up to him.

"C'mon, it'll make you feel better." He coaxed.

Sonic rolled his eyes.

'_Yeah… until I throw up…_' he thought.

He took the piece from Chip and popped it into his mouth, thinking about his comment earlier.

"_You don't want to be sick when your friends find you._"

'If_ they find me…_'

**I tried to make this chapter a bit longer for you guys.**

**I'd like to thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I'm glad that you're enjoying it. ^^**

**Chapter 8 is well on its way, but it might not be up right away because I start school tomorrow.**

**Please R and R! Thanks! =)**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: I apologize for making you guys wait so long for this chapter. I kind of forgot about this story (with all the homework I've been getting) ^^;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 8

It was just another sleepless night for Sonic.

While Chip slept peacefully in the crook of his great arms, Sonic stayed wide awake; watching the stars wink in and out of sight above the skylights. He sighed and shifted his position so that he could lay on his side; staring at the lengthening shadows in the room as the moon climbed higher in the sky.

There was a small mumble and Sonic perked up his ears, looking down at his friend; Chip must've noticed the loss of warmth. As Sonic watched in silence, Chip opened his eyes a bit and sleepily climbed back into his arms; snuggling against the werehog's chest. Sonic's eyes widened when he felt the tiny paws feel through his fur, stopping to rest right over his heart.

There was a contented sigh and the little fairy buried his muzzle into the fur; an ear drooping close to the soft thumping.

The shock drained from Sonic's face and was replaced by a tiny smile. He returned his gaze to the sky and was surprised to see the pale light of dawn slowly taking over the stars.

'_I might as well try to get _some_ sleep…_' he thought, yawning widely.

Sonic tucked Chip closer to him and laid his head down.

Just as his eyes began to close, there was a sound at the door. He jerked his head up and stared as the doorknob turned. The door slowly opened and the head vet walked in; a smile on his lips and his hands behind his back.

"Good morning, big guy." He greeted in an uneasy tone.

Sonic tilted his head in confusion. What was up with him?

The vet slowly approached the werehog, hands still behind his back; Sonic could tell he was hiding something. And he wasn't doing it very well, he was shaking nervously and his face was pale.

"Today's the big day."

Sonic peered at him closely, trying to figure out what he meant. After a few moments, realization sunk in and his fur stood on end. This startled the vet and he dropped what he was hiding.

It fell to the floor with a metallic 'ting': it was a syringe filled with a clear liquid. He growled as the vet scrambled to pick it up and hide it again.

"N-now don't get upset. It's only medicine. It'll put you to sleep for a bit so we can safely move you to your new home…"

Sonic didn't care what it was; he wasn't really a big fan of needles. And he certainly didn't want to be moved to another cage.

Mustering his courage, the vet knelt next to him and felt through the fur on his shoulder, readying an injection site. Sonic huffed at him, showing his teeth.

"Calm down, it'll only hurt for a second…" the vet soothed, the needle poised just above the werehog's skin.

He lost it at this point.

Lashing out violently, he slammed the vet aside; who tumbled away with a cry of surprise. The sounds woke Chip; who zipped under the safety of Sonic's head spikes, shaking with fright.

The syringe clattered away and the vet scrambled after it as Sonic towered threateningly above him; teeth and claws brandished.

Just as his fingers fell over the needle, the werehog lunged and bit down as hard as he could… right on the vet's hand. There was a terrible scream as bones splintered under the force of the bite; blood was sent flying everywhere.

The screams summoned the assistant, Miles, to the scene. He gasped at the sight of the werehog pinning his boss to the ground, his hand in his jaws; blood staining his lips. Miles sprang into action: he ran into the room and swiped the needle off the ground. Before Sonic could react, the assistant plunged the needle into his shoulder and injected the medicine.

He roared in pain and knocked Miles back. Pulling the needle out and tossing it aside, Sonic lowered to all fours and stalked forward; his eyes blank with rage. But, before he could leap again; he staggered and swayed. After a few tense moments, he groaned tiredly and collapsed on his side.

Miles crawled over to the head vet, who was sitting upright; clutching his bleeding hand. The two stared solemnly at the fallen beast, whose ragged breathing broke the silence in the room.

"How long will he be like that?" Miles asked.

The vet clenched his jaw in pain, hissing through his teeth.

"Long enough for us to get him to the new enclosure."

Miles sighed and helped him to his feet.

"C'mon. Let's get you bandaged. The faster we do that, the faster we can get him out of here."

xxxXXXxxx

"Sonic?" Chip asked his voice swelling with hope.

He stirred at the sound of his name, earning a sigh of relief. Sonic unsteadily pushed himself onto all fours, swaying with weakness. Chip fluttered about trying to keep him from falling over.

"Careful, the medicine they gave you hasn't worn off all the way." He warned.

Sonic cautiously opened his eyes, his surroundings seemed to spin and swirl around him as nausea swam over him. And there was something tight wrapped around his snout. He looked at Chip and the little fairy's smile melted away.

"I tried to take it off earlier, but it's on too tight…" he murmured apologetically.

Sonic looked about and found a water bowl; he limped over and looked down. His heart sank at the sight of his reflection.

They had _muzzled_ him.

**I tried to make it up to you guys by making this longer. ^^ I promise I won't forget about Chapter 9.**

**Please R and R! Thanks! =)**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! Here's chapter 9 for you all! =)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 9

Muffled growls echoed hollowly in the enclosure's fake cave as Sonic thrashed wildly on the sand covered floor; struggling to tear the muzzle off. Chip darted this way and that, trying to stay out of harm's way while also trying to help his friend.

"Stop it, Sonic! That thing's not gonna come off!" he shouted, trying to snap the werehog out of his fury.

But his words fell on deaf ears; Sonic was oblivious to Chip's voice.

The little fairy could only watch in horror as Sonic pawed at the muzzle, his claws missing the leather straps again and again; digging into his fur and causing blood to streak down his face like crimson tears.

'_I've got to stop him now before he does any _real_ damage!'_

Putting his thoughts into action, Chip dove down and, with little strength that he had, lifted the water bowl; holding it shakily above the beast's head. After taking a deep breath to calm himself, Chip tipped the bowl; spilling its contents over Sonic.

There was a sharp whine and the werehog froze, lying motionless in the water and blood flecked sand. His dull, half-lidded eyes stared emotionlessly at Chip; his side rising and falling with each heavy breath.

Chip tossed the bowl away and landed in front of Sonic, patting the muzzle to get his attention. The dull eyes seemed to clear and softened at this and he got up, shaking clumps of sand out of his damp fur.

Once he was satisfied, Sonic lumbered out of the cave to inspect his new surroundings; Chip fluttered nearby. The sun immediately warmed him up, loosening his muscles and clearing his mind; he stretched contentedly and scratched at the ground.

The enclosure was wide and grassy; it even had a shallow pool near a high iron fence. Behind him fake rocks towered high above and ended in a flat top that was somewhat sheltered by trees; a perfect place to sun himself and to see the whole zoo. Bunching himself up, Sonic leapt from rock to rock; making his way to the top. Chip tiredly flew after him.

"Soniiiic, wait up…" he panted.

Ignoring his friend's protests, Sonic ducked under the tree branches and looked out over the fence. People dressed in bright colors led their kids around to see the other animals, which were out in their pens for display. He glanced down and saw that his enclosure was roped off; a sign reading 'Coming Soon' was displayed in front of the blockade.

He watched disappointed kids walk away after reading the sign; a few even glanced up to see if they could catch a glimpse at the new animal. Chip landed beside him and stared in wonder at the crowd as he tried to catch his breath.

"Nice… view, huh?" he asked.

The werehog merely nodded, sighing through the muzzle. The two sat in silence, watching as the crowd moved through the different cages; losing track of time.

By late afternoon, an automated voice came on the loudspeaker and announced that the zoo was closing. The crowd thinned out and eventually left; leaving the janitors to clean their mess.

As the lamps on the sidewalks flickered to life, Sonic picked up a sleeping Chip and gracefully jumped down from the ledge. After glancing at the night's first stars, he walked into the cave; gently setting his friend down on the ground. The werehog then scratched at the sand a bit and after turning around and around for a moment; laid down beside him, ready for a good night's sleep.

Just as he was starting to fall asleep, the sound of tires squealing jolted him into awareness. Leaving Chip to sleep, Sonic walked out of the cave to investigate.

There was a small cart parked alongside the enclosure and climbing out of it was the head vet. Guilt immediately swelled inside him.

The vet opened the gate and locked it behind him, slowly walking up toward Sonic. The werehog whined and flattened his ears.

"Hi big guy." The vet greeted, smiling warmly.

Sonic caught sight of the hand he had bit; it was wrapped in thick bandages. He whined again and nudged his head against it apologetically. The vet knelt next to him and rubbed his fur with his good hand.

"There, there, it's ok. I'm still in one piece." He soothed.

His hand then traveled to the back of Sonic's head, carefully undoing the muzzle's straps. It fell away and the vet stared sadly at the bloody claw marks on the werehog's face.

"What did you do to yourself?" he asked softly.

Sonic whimpered in response and looked away.

The vet patted his head a couple times, stood up, and walked back to the cart. He returned moments later with two bowls and a small leather bag. He placed the bowls near the mouth of the cave and pulled a water bottle out of the bag; pouring its contents into one of the bowls. Sonic pulled it to him with his claws and lapped at it.

The vet reached into the bag again and pulled out another bottle and a wad of cotton balls. He opened the bottle, put a couple of them at the opening, and soaked them with medicine.

"Come here; let's clean those wounds of yours."

Sonic lifted his head and allowed him to dab the cotton balls over the cuts, flinching every so often at the stinging the medicine brought. After he was finished, the vet tossed the wad and the bottle in his bag.

"All set. I'll see you in the morning at feeding time. Good night, fella."

He gathered the muzzle and his bag, stood up and walked away. Sonic watched as the cart rumbled down the path back to the brick building where he once stayed.

A yawn behind him caused him to jump a bit. He looked over his shoulder and grinned as Chip stumbled out of the cave, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The little fairy glanced up at him and he snapped fully awake when he realized that his friend was free.

"Hey! It's gone!"

Sonic nodded.

"Yeah, the vet took it off a few seconds ago…"

Plopping down on the ground beside him, Chip stared up at the vast night sky. Sonic tilted his head up to look at the moon, a sigh escaping his lips.

'_Tomorrow's the big day…I start the rest of my life as a zoo animal…'_

The familiar pressure built up in his chest.

And the zoo was lulled to sleep to the sound of a lonely, werehog howl.

**Only one more chapter to go! I hope you guys have enjoyed this. And don't worry, I'll be writing more werehog stories in the future =)**

**Please R and R! Thanks! **


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks again to the reviewers! It's because of you guys that I was able to finish this! =) Here's the final chapter for you all!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story Sonic related, Sega does. **

**Enjoy!**

Caged

Chapter 10

Shivering from the chill in the morning air, Chip hovered at the mouth of the fake cave; watching the first rays of dawn peek over dark clouds. As more rays joined the first, the sky slowly turned from dull grey to shades of warm pink and orange. The little fairy could only stare in silent awe at the colorful display before him.

He would never be able to see anything like this in the Earth's core!

'_Sonic's gotta see this!'_

He turned to call his friend, but stopped and instead smiled at the sight behind him.

Sonic was still fast asleep, lying on his back in the sand; a peaceful look etched on his face. His paws twitched every so often and he bared his teeth once, a low growl rising in his chest. The growl suddenly turned into a snarl and the werehog rolled onto his side, legs and arms flailing in a running motion. He stopped moving after a few moments and lay still once more, aside from the occasional twitching of a limb.

Chip covered his mouth to suppress his laughter.

'_He must be dreaming… I'll let him sleep a little longer…'_

Chuckling softly, he returned his gaze to the sunrise; catching sight of a cart driving up to the enclosure. It was the head vet and Chip figured that it was close to feeding time.

"So much for letting you sleep in." he mumbled to the snoring beast.

He fluttered away from the opening and landed beside Sonic; inclining his head to whisper in his upturned ear.

"Psst… hey… wake up, Sonic."

The ear flicked back and its owner stirred slightly. Sonic opened one eye and stared sleepily at his friend; he then groaned and covered his face with his paws.

"Five…more…minutes…" he grumbled, turning onto his other side.

Chip followed and prodded at his ribs.

"No, you have to get up _now_. The head vet's on his way."

Sonic grumbled again and groggily got up, yawning widely as he stretched himself out. Chip hid in the furthest section of the cave, watching from the shadows as he chewed on the corner of a chocolate bar.

The werehog sat back on his haunches in the opening, watching the cart screech to a stop outside the enclosure's gates. The head vet climbed out, carrying a plastic container full of meat in one hand and a bottle of fresh water in the other.

Shifting his materials to one arm, the vet opened the gate, stepped inside, closed and locked it. After fumbling with returning his keys to his pocket, the vet slowly made his way up the enclosure's small slope; smiling when he saw that Sonic was waiting for him.

"Good morning!" he called cheerfully.

Sonic responded with a whine and bounded up to him, rubbing his head against the vet's free hand in greeting. The fingers scratched behind one of his ears and the werehog thumped the ground with one of his feet in content; earning a laugh from the vet.

"My, you're full of energy today!"

After receiving a few more pats, Sonic moved away to allow the vet to fill the bowls. He watched him open the container and shake half of the chunks of meat into one; closing the lid tightly and setting it beside him. The vet then opened the bottle and poured the fresh water into the other; once it was full; Sonic crouched near it and lapped at the liquid.

A soft whistle stopped him mid lap; he lifted his head to see the vet looking down at him solemnly. He cupped the werehog's chin in his hands and stared deep into the dull green eyes.

"Good luck today." He murmured.

Sonic stared puzzled as the vet collected his things and started to walk back to the gate. He tilted his head to one side, whining in confusion. The cart's engine revved and drove out of sight, leaving the werehog to sit alone in silence.

"What did he mean by _that_?" Chip's voice asked from inside the cave.

Sonic looked over his shoulder to see his friend flutter out from the shadows.

"He must've been talking about the big display…" the werehog said, rolling his shoulders.

Chip touched down beside him and stared out at the zoo. The other animals were being led out of their dens by various zookeepers; fresh food was being put into troughs and water was being poured into big bowls to keep them fed and watered for the day.

Sonic turned away from the scene with a growl and lumbered back into the cave; flopping down on the sand. Chip walked up to him and clambered onto his shoulder, making himself comfortable in the thick fur.

The two sighed in unison… it was going to be a long day…

xxxXXXxxx

It _was_ turning out to be a long day.

Sonic watched from the safety of his cave as one disappointed visitor after another spent a few minutes at the fence; whistling or making other noises to try to get him to come out. A few snapped a couple of pictures at the cave's opening; proceeding to show the images on their cameras to their friends; debating whether or not there was something inside.

The werehog growled and buried his face in his arms, listening to their voices float up to him on the wind:

"Mommy, were is the new animal?" a little girl asked.

"He must be hiding, sweetie. He's probably not used to all the attention." The mother replied.

Sonic huffed at her words.

'_Not used to it? Tch, I've spent most of my life in the limelight… I just don't want anyone seeing me like this…'_

There was an irritated sigh from one of the onlookers in the crowd.

"Yeah, well he'd better get over it soon and come out." A punk kid sneered.

This time the werehog lifted his head and roared; the sound amplified by the walls of the cave. He smirked in satisfaction when he saw the kid jump back from the fence.

A man laughed somewhere in the crowd.

"What'sa matter, kid? Scared of a zoo animal?" he asked mockingly.

"Can it, pops." The kid shot back.

Sonic scoffed at the senseless argument and turned away from the scene. He pressed his ears back in an attempt to block out the shouting, screwing his eyes shut. Chip buried his face in the werehog's fur, covering his ears with his paws.

'_If I have to put up with this _everyday_ I swear I'll…'_

"Knock it off!" a voice silenced the both of them, causing Sonic to jump and prick his ears forward.

"I know that voice…" he murmured to himself.

He looked over his shoulder and peered at the crowd again; seeing a sight that made hope swell in his big chest.

Standing between the two fighters was none other than Amy Rose. And from the look on her face, it seemed like she had enough.

Chip, startled by the werehog's voice, fluttered beside his head; pointing excitedly.

"Look, Sonic! Your friends, they're here!"

Sonic ignored him and stared intently at what was going on outside.

"Listen you," she hissed, jabbing a finger in the punk kid's chest, "I've been through a lot these past few weeks and I came here to relax and enjoy myself, not to-"

"Amy…" Knuckles pulled her away from the punk.

"Please Amy, don't fight with them." Tails pleaded.

"Faker wouldn't have wanted you to do so…" Shadow's cold voice hissed. Sonic could see him glaring daggers at the two.

At the mention of the ebony hedgehog's nickname for Sonic, Amy's eyes welled with tears and she turned away.

The man and punk looked at each other and rubbed the backs of their necks in embarrassment and went their separate ways. The crowd grumbled in disapproval and left to see the rest of the animals.

Amy grasped the iron fence and leaned against it, staring sadly into the seemingly empty enclosure. Tails stood next to her rubbing her back, trying to comfort her.

"I…can't believe he's…" she choked out.

"Amy…"

Knuckles and Shadow joined them at the fence; also looking into the cage. The group was silent for a while, until Amy spoke up.

"I wonder what kind of animal's in there…" she said, drying her eyes.

Shadow shrugged.

"Well, from the roar we heard before, I'm guessing it's some sort of big cat."

Sonic rolled his eyes.

'_Not even close, Shad.'_

Knuckles only sighed and Tails scratched the side of his head, deep in thought.

"Well, we can't sit around here all day and wait for it to come out." The red echidna mumbled.

"Yeah," the fox agreed, "Come on, Amy. I'm sure this animal will be sticking around for a while. We can try to see it again next time."

The pink hedgehog ignored him and looked into the shadowed innards of the cave. Little did she know she was making eye contact with her hero; causing Sonic's blood to run cold.

"I know you're in there." She called, "Please come out so we can see you."

Sonic lowered his eyes from hers and whimpered uncertainly. Chip pushed on his shoulders, trying to coax him out of the cave.

"C'mon, Sonic. They miss you…"

The werehog closed his eyes.

"I don't want them to see me like this…" he growled.

Chip pushed harder.

"Get out there! Show them that you're not dead!"

Sonic opened his eyes and looked back at his friends. The small group was already starting to lead a reluctant Amy away from the enclosure.

Chip flew toward the back of the cave, readying to give one more push on the werehog's shoulders.

He didn't need to; Sonic leapt out into the sunlight and howled loudly, trying to grab his friend's attention. The little fairy smiled, the werehog's message was as clear as day: 'I'm here!'

The group turned around and gasped in awe at the great creature crooning up at the sun. His call caused half of the zoo's visitors to crowd around the enclosure; most of them gawking at the display while others took this opportunity to snap a few photos.

As his howl died away, Sonic looked at the crowd; making eye contact with Amy. He bared his teeth in a smile and her eyes became watery again.

"Sonic…?"

At the mention of his name, the werehog felt a strange sensation overcome him: It felt as if fire were coursing through his veins. He felt his teeth and claws shrink, his fur laid flat and became shorter. He felt his muscles shrink and stretch out to a normal size as his body was enveloped in a purple and white light.

The crowd gasped and Amy let out a chocked sob.

For when the light died away, the missing true blue hero stood tall and proud in the sunlight; rubbing at the spot on his shoulder where he was shot so long ago. Chip hovered beside him, pumping his fist as if in victory.

"Hey, guys." Sonic greeted.

xxxXXXxxx

After hours of explaining what had happened, and after a very flustered vet unlocked the cage to free him; Sonic and his friends stood at the zoo's entrance with the head vet.

"I'm so sorry you all had to go through this." The vet apologized.

"It's alright," Tails assured, rubbing the back of his head, "we're just happy our worst fears weren't true."

The others nodded in solemn agreement.

Sonic stepped up to him and held out his hand.

"Thanks, for everything. If it weren't for you I'd probably be bleeding to death right about now."

The vet smiled and shook it.

"Anytime."

Sonic returned the smile and then turned to his friends.

"Let's go home, guys."

After waving bye to the head vet, the group slowly started to make its way toward the heart of the city. Shadow strolled beside Sonic, a mischievous twinkle in his crimson eyes.

"Want to race, faker?"

Sonic grinned.

"You're on!"

Without warning, the two bolted forward; the wind from their strides blowing Chip into the rest of the group. Amy giggled, Knuckles laughed a bit and Tails only sighed.

"It feels so good to have him back again."

And as Sonic sped along side his rival, only one thought buzzed about his head.

'_It feels so good to be free again…'_

**The End**

**I'd like to thank everyone who read, reviewed, and even faved this story. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you all again! =)**

**Like I said in one of the previous chapters, I will be writing more Werehog fanfics in the near future, so keep an eye out for them!**

**Until then!**

-Wolf'sBreath92


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